1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to carpet rakes and to devices for removing staples imbeded in carpet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since the advent of staple machines in office buildings, staples have fallen onto carpets and become lodged in carpets to a degree that vacuum cleaners are unable to dislodge them. This has been a horrendous janitorial problem for years and years. In areas such as accounts receivables sections and around copy machines, these lodged staples often blanket large areas of carpet. Many janitorial services do not even attempt to remove lodged staples in such areas where staples are dropped in large numbers daily. Others resort to individually pulling the staples out with a pair of pliers, or individually prying them up with some type of flat tool.
It has heretofore been inconceivable to dislodge these staples without concentrating on each one individually.
Toothed carpet rakes are in common use for removing loose matter on carpets such as threads and hairs, and for combing shag carpets. However, it has been heretofore inconceivable to use a rake to dislodge staples which have been dislodged only by gripping and pulling staples individually. The design of the instant invention is very far removed from carpet rakes known at the time the invention was made. Earlier carpet rakes were not built to withstand continuous downward force on the handle or constant pulling against the resistance of the staples.
Earlier carpet rakes do not have teeth spaced closely enough. Earlier rakes do not have teeth spacing such that a staple's two side portions each fit in different spaces between teeth. They also do not have spacing to resist the turning of a staple so fit. Earlier carpet rakes also do not have rigid teeth that are smaller than the loops of the carpet on which they are designed to be used.
Earlier carpet rakes are not designed to use a stock aluminum hair comb in such a way that the comb can be easily replaced.